Folding table



Dec. 3, 1929.

J. W. ANDERSON FOLDING TABLE Filed March 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1929.- J. w. ANDERSON 1,737,821

FOLDING TABLE Filed March 28, 1927 2 lSheets-Sme?. 2

Y Z7 26 26?l 25 2.1 43 i n i3 2,2 21 2O' H 21 w fQ-Z gb lweutG/f' 2o for holding the parts Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN W. ANDERSON, F AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNO'R 0F `ONE-HALF EDO JAMES A. GRAHAM OF AURORA, ILLINOIS FOLDING TABLE Application filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 178,915.

This invention relates to improvements in folding tables, particularly adapted though not necessarily limited in its use for supporting and holding vending machines and like devices, and one of the objects ,of the invention is to provide an improved ta'ble yof this character which may be folded or collapsed so that itwill occupy a minimum space'lfor' storage or shipment purposes.

le A further object is to provide an improved i table of this character, the supporting surface of which may be readily adjusted to compensate varying sizes of bases of the article to be supported thereby.

A further object is to provide an improved table `of this character in which the parts `are pivotally connected together in such a way that they may be compactly folded with respect tol each other, and improved means distended' or in position for use.

' To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other `new and useful objectsas will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanyingl drawings illustrating this in- Bo vent-ion, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away and partly in section of an improved table of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing the same distended for use.

Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2-2, Figure l.

Figure 3v is a view of the table partly ,broken away and partly in section, showing l0 the table folded.

Figure 4 is a sectional Viewv taken onl line 4 4, Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 5 5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a portion ofthe supporting surface of the table.

The table consists essentially of two frame members, each of which is constructed of uprights 10, preferably formed of angle iron and secured to the upper extremities of these uprights are cross bars 1l also formed of angle iron. These cross bars are secured to the respective uprights in any suitable Inanner such as by means of rivets or fastening devices 12. i

Additional cross bars 13' may also be provided and secured to the respective uprights by means of rivets or fastening devices 14. Addition-al braces l5 may also be provided for the respective frame members, and these braces 15 are secured by one extremity tothe respective cross bars 1l and by their other extremities to the respective uprights 10 to provide a rigid structure.

Thel lower extremities of the uprights 10 65 may, if desired, be defiected outwardly.

The upper cross bars l1 are preferably out away at their eXtremitiesto form ears or projections 16 and the upper extremities 17 of the respective uprights 10 terminate substan- 70 'ially flush with the upper surface of `the res ective ears 16.

onnecting bars 118 also preferably formed of angle iron are pivotally connected by their extremities as at 19 with the respective 75 up-'rights 10, and additional connectir'igv bars 20 are also pivotally connected as at 21 by their extremities tothe respective uprights 10 of the fra-me members, preferably adjacent the lower extremities of the upright's. 80 These connecting bars 18 and 2O being pivotally connected to the uprights permit the uprights to be foldedv one with respect to the other into the position shown in Figure 3.

The extremities of the cross bars 18 adjacen-t rthe uprights 10 are adaptedV to' project into the cut away portions at the ends ofthe cross bars 11 and over the ears '16 so that the upper surfaces `of the connecting bars' '18 90 will be substantially flush'withthe upper sur facesv of the cross bars' 11, as" shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 4, so as to form a substantially fiat or even supportingsurface for thearticle to be supported by the table.

TheV tablev thus formed is adapted toV be held in its distended or unfolded position by means of bars or members 22 which are pivotally connected by one extremity as at 23 tothe uprights 10 of one of the frame members and 1GO vso as to accommodate are provided with an aperture 24 adjacent their free ends. These bars 22 preferably are of a length to extend across the table and downwardly from the pivot 23 adjacent the upper extremity of the uprights of one of the frame members to a point toward the bottom of the uprights of the other frame members.

Supported by each ofthe last recited frame members is a formation 25, preferably in the form of a projection secured to the respective uprights by riveting or otherwise and are so locatedjthat the aperture 24 in the bars 22 will receive the formation 25 when the frame members are unfolded with respect to each other and thereby lock them in their unfolded position to form a rigid structure.

If desired a latch 26 maybe pivotally supported as at 27 upon the respective uprights 10, which carry the formations 25 and these latches are adapted to be swung over the respective extremities of the bars 22 when they are in engagement with the formations 25 to prevent them from becoming accidentally disengaged therefrom.

A handle or finger engaging portion 28 may be provided on the latches to facilitate in the adjustment thereof.

When it is'desired to fold the table, the j latches 26 are swung about their pivots out of engagement with the bars 22. The bars may then be disengaged from the formations 25 and then swung about their pivots 23 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 until the bars 22 extend along the uprights 10 of the other frame member.

The frame members 1() may then be moved longitudinally with respect to each other which Vwill cause the connecting bars 18 and 2O to swing about their respective pivots 19 and 21 so that the frame members 10 will be moved in close proximity with respect to each other and until the parts assume the position shown in Figure 3.

With this improved construction it will be lmanifest that a simple, durable and efficient table will be formed which may be readily collapsed or folded for shipment or storage purposes and which may be readily unfolded for use. Vhen unfolded and the bars 22 are in position a very rigid structure will be provided.

As a means for providing for the adjustment of the supporting surface of the table articles to be supported thereby and which articles have varying sizes of bases, there may be provided angle irons 29 which are vsupported by the connecting bars'18.; The bars 18 are preferably provided with elongated apertures or slots 30 adapted to receive fastening bolts 31 which pass through apertures in the cross bars 18, and nuts 32 are carried by the fastening bolts so as to clamp the angle irons 29 in position.

By loosening the bolts 31 the angle irons combination and arrangement 29 may be adjusted toward and away from each other as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

Similar angle irons 33 may also be provided and these latter angle irons are supported by the cross bars 11 of the respective frame members 10.

Slots 34E, similar to the slots 30, are provided in the cross bars 11, and fastening bolts 35 pass through the angle irons 33 and the slot-s in the cross bars 11 and upon which bolts 35 nuts 36 are arranged so that the angle irons 33 may be similarly adjusted toward and away from each other.

rlhe angle irons 29 are preferably considerably greater in length than the angle irons 33, and the latter are positioned between the extremities of the angle irons 29 so as not to interfere with the folding and unfolding of the table.

iVhile the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and inthe of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without depart-ing from the spirit of this invention.

Vhat is claimed asnew is 1. A foldable table embodying spaced substantially parallel upright frame members, each of said members embodying spaced uprights formed of angle iron and a cross bar at the top thereof and connecting the uprights, a plurality of connecting bars pivotally secured at their ends to the respective 100 frame members for connecting and for hold'- ing them spaced, the ends of the cross bars projecting under the connecting bars, the remaining portions of the upper surfaces of the cross bars being substantially flush with the 105 upper surfaces of the top connecting bars of the frame members, the said connecting bars serving as links whereby one of said frame members may be folded against the other, a brace member pivotally connected by one end 11o with the inner face of one of the uprights of vone of said frame members, interengagmg and separable means at the free end of the brace member and one of the uprights of the opposite frame member for maintaining said frame members against folding movement one with respect to the other, and a latch mounted upon the inner face of the last said upright and adapted to engage the adjacent portion of the said brace memberfor holding the parts against, separation.

V2. A foldable table embodying spaced substantially parallel upright frame members, each of said members embodying spaced uprights and a cross bar at the top thereof and connecting the uprights, a plurality of connecting bars pivotally secured at theirends to the respective frame members for connecting and for holding them spaced, the ends of the upper cross bars of the frame members being cut away to project under the upper connecting bars between the frame members, the remaining portion of the upper surface of the said cross bars being substantially flush with the upper surface of said connecting bars, the said connecting bars serving as links whereby one of said frame members may be folded against the other, a brace member pivotally connected by one end to the inner face of the uprights of one of said frame members, and interengaging and separable means at the free end of the brace member and one of the uprights of the opposite frame member and within the frame structure for maintainsaid frame members against folding movement one with respect to the other, said brace being' foldable along the inner face of one of the said uprights When the frame members are folded with respect to each other.

3. A fold-.able table embodying spaced substantially parallel upright frame members, each of said members embodying spaced uprights formed of angle iron and a cross bar at the top thereof and connecting the uprights, a plurality of connecting bars pivotally secured at their ends to the respective frame members for connecting and for hold ing them spaced, the upper surfaces of certain of the upper connecting bars being substantially flush with the upper surfaces of the upper cross bars of the frame members, the said connecting bars serving as links whereby one of said frame members may be folded against the other, a brace member piv otally connected by one end to and within one of the uprights of one of the said frame members, and interengaging and separable means at the free end of the brace member and one of the uprights of the opposite frame member and within said uprivht for maintaining said frame members against folding movement one with respect to the other, said brace being foldable along and into one of the uprights of one of said frame members.

et. A foldable table embodying spaced substantially parallel upright frame members, each of said members embodying spaced uprights formed of angle iron and a cross bar at the top thereof and connecting the uprights, a plurality of connecting bars pivotally secured at their ends to the respective frame members for connecting and for holding them spaced, the upper surfaces of the uppermost said connecting bars being substantially flush with the upper surfaces of said cross bars of the frame members, the said connecting bars serving as links whereby one of said frame members may be folded against the other, a brace member pivotally connected by one end with one of the uprights of one of said frame members, the free end of said brace adapted to be positioned adjacent the upper face of one of the uprights of the opposite frame member, the said free end of the brace and the last said upright being provided one with a projection and the other With a recess to receive the projection for locking the structure against a folding movement, and a latch pivotally mounted upon and Within the last recited upright and adapted to be swung over the adjacent end of said brace for locking the brace against detachment from the last said upright.

5. A foldable table embodying spaced substantially parallel upright frame members, each of said members embodying spaced uprights and a cross bar at the top thereof and connecting the uprights, a plurality of connecting bars pivotally secured at their ends to the respective frame members for connecting and for holding them spaced, the extremities of said cross bars being cut away and extending beneath the respective adjacent connecting bars, the upper surfaces of said connecting bars being substantially flush with the remaining portion of the upper surfaces of said cross bars of the frame memiers, the said connecting bars serving as links whereby one of said frame members may be folded against the other, a brace member pivotally connected by one end With the inner face of one of the uprights of one of said frame members, and interengaging and separable means at the free end of the brace member and one of the uprights of the opp site frame member on the inside of said upright for maintaining said frame members against folding movement one with respect to the other, the said uprights and the upper cross bar of the frame members and the uppermost connecting bars between the frame members being all constructed of angle iron.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 23rd day of March, A. 13.1927.

JOHN W. ANDERSON. 

